Why is the smell of a new car so good?

One of the most striking things about buying a zero-kilometer car is that “smelling” new car. Regardless of whether you find this aroma good or bad, have you ever wondered where it comes from? Gizmodo spoke with Janis Ambrose Shard, manager of Toyota's painting and finishing section, to uncover the origin of this smell.

According to Shard, the distinctive aroma of a new vehicle comes from the volatile organic compounds of the plastic parts that make up its interior, such as the dashboard and seat and door trim. According to her, the smell of new car is so striking due to a psychological issue, not physiological. People like this aroma not because it appeals to the sense of smell, but because they are fulfilled with the purchase of a new car from the factory.

In fact, explains the Toyota employee, volatile organic compounds (also known as VOCs) are air pollutants and can even cause disease in case of prolonged exposure to large amounts of this material. VOCs are more common than we think because they are present in a multitude of products that we frequently come in contact with, such as cleaning materials. However, the low concentrations found in air are harmless.

Shard complements the interview by saying that the Japanese automaker has switched to water-based glues instead of solvent-based glues to try to reduce the presence of volatile organic compounds in its cars. Other companies, such as Ford, are trying to replace coatings made from petroleum with less environmentally friendly materials - such as extracts removed from soy.